Federal Aid Road Act

The Federal Aid Road Act of 1916 established federal aid for highways in the United States as a national policy. This act was a significant development in road building, shifting from primarily local funding and administration to a national approach. The Bureau of Public Roads, located within the Department of Agriculture, was given responsibility for managing this program. Funds were allocated for construction, with states required to cover maintenance costs. The selection of roads to be improved was left to the states, which sometimes led to shortcomings. This legislation was a culmination of the "Good Roads movement," which had been advocating for improved roads since the late 19th century, initially driven by cyclists and later by the burgeoning automobile industry.12